ELCA NEWS SERVICE
July 6, 2006
Lutheran Youth Of Color Prepare For Leadership Work
06-096-MRC
SAN ANTONIO, Texas (ELCA) -- About 800 high-school-age
Lutherans of color and/or whose primary language is other than
English gathered July 2-5 for the 2006 Multicultural Youth
Leadership Event hosted by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America (ELCA). Under the theme "La Luz: The Power of the Light
Shines for MYLE," participants came together at the Henry B.
Gonzalez Convention Center for worship, leadership training,
inspiration, fellowship and fun.
"MYLE is an event that seeks to empower youth of color to be
leaders by engaging, enhancing and developing their gifts,
talents and faith," said Diana Marcus, Skokie, Ill., chair of the
ELCA Multicultural Advisory Committee (MAC). Marcus will be a
first-year student this fall at the University of Illinois at
Chicago.
MAC is an advisory committee of the Lutheran Youth
Organization (LYO) -- an organization that represents the high-
school-age members of the ELCA. Members of MAC, who are between
the ages of 14 and 18, took responsibility for planning MYLE, an
event that cultivates leaders, embraces diversity, raises
cultural awareness and encourages youth to grow in faith.
Serving as chair of MAC "has helped me grow emotionally,
spiritually and mentally" as well as "mature more as a person,"
said Marcus. "It has changed my whole personality," she said.
"I've learned social and public speaking skills, made new
friendships and had the opportunity to travel across the
country."
MYLE preceded the 2006 ELCA Youth Gathering, which brings
together about 40,000 high-school-age and adult Lutherans from
the United States and around the world in two back-to-back events
-- July 5-9 and July 12-16 -- at the Gonzalez Convention Center
and Alamodome. The Gathering features activities built around
the theme "Cruzando: Journey with Jesus." Cruzando is a Spanish
word for "crossing."
A significant component of MYLE was five two-hour sessions
of leadership training and learning referred to as "on the hill."
MYLE participants were divided into 10 groups to engage in
activities designed to build new friendships, to self-assess God-
given talents and gifts, to exercise practical leadership skills,
and to share opinions and ideas on increasing the participation
of young people of color in congregations.
"The core of our time together centered in relationship
(with a) focus on spiritual growth, leadership development and
learning together in a multicultural environment," said Desiree
Quintana, Tampa, an adult volunteer who developed and organized
the sessions. Quintana, a former LYO board member, used specific
verses from the Gospel of Matthew to provide context for the
session's activities and discussions. A primary verse used
during the sessions and throughout the event was "You are the
light of the world. A city build on a hill cannot be hid."
(Matthew 5:14 NRSV)
Participants began and ended each day together in worship
and performances that featured the musical and dance talents of
teenage Lutherans from across the church. Performances included
a steel drum band from the U.S. Virgin Islands, a dance troupe
from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land,
an American Indian drum group from Oklahoma and more.
"You are the light of the world," Linda Norman, a recent
graduate of Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, told
participants during morning worship July 3. "Jesus is the light
of the world, and he shares that title with us. Jesus shares his
mission with us. 'Everything that I am,' Jesus said, 'You are,
too.' Jesus didn't say, 'When you grow up and mature, you're
going to be the light of the world.' Jesus said, 'You are the
light of the world wherever you are, whoever you are,'" Norman
said. "You have gifts and talents that light up the world. Our
challenge, responsibility and opportunity are to figure out what
are those gifts, because those gifts will be your ministry. That
is the stuff God uses to light up the house," she said.
Other speakers included two former LYO board presidents --
Vance Robbins Blackfox, adult advisor for MAC, Oaks, Oklahoma,
and Karris Golden, writer/editor, communication and marketing,
Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa. Wartburg is one of 28 colleges
and universities of the ELCA. The Rev. Margarita Martinez,
bishop of the ELCA Caribbean Synod, and the Rev. Callon W.
Holloway, bishop of the ELCA Southern Ohio Synod, greeted
participants.
More than 88 high-school-age Lutherans representing 20
countries from around the world attended MYLE under the
International Guest Program organized by ELCA Global Mission,
Chicago.
"It's very amazing to see young people from around the world
gather together to worship God and share their gifts," said Yong
Ching, Eleventh Mile Cheras Lutheran Church, Selangor, Malaysia.
"I've enjoyed watching the cultural performances. I've learned
that everyone here has unique gifts given by God," she said.
"We, the people of color, are power. We are La Luz, we are
the light. Stand up, people of color, come to the front and take
your place," said Choogie Kingfisher, a member of the Keetowah
community, Tahlequah, Okla. Kingfisher spoke at the closing
worship July 5, delivering a message on the importance of "being
kind to one another."
Another highlight of MYLE were ethnic caucuses, in which
participants organized themselves into six ethnic-specific
caucuses to discuss and share freely with one another about their
ethnicity, faith, challenges, and hopes and dreams. Caucuses
were attended by youth only; adults were encouraged not to attend
to protect the privacy of participants.
Each caucus held elections to select one male and one female
to serve a three-year term on MAC. Representing the ELCA's
ethnic communities -- African American and Black, American Indian
and Alaska Native, Arab and Middle Eastern, Asian and Pacific
Islander, Latino/Latina, and multi-ethnic -- members of MAC serve
to advise the LYO board on matters facing young people of color
today.
Elected to MAC were:
+ Sareen Earm, Christ Lutheran Church, St. Paul, Minn.
+ Yvenjamine Castro, Messiah Lutheran Church, Union City, Calif.
+ Nikeshia Pinnock, St. Michael's Truth Lutheran Church,
Mitchellville, Md.
+ Lorenzo Cyril Johnson, Church of the Abiding Savior, Durham,
N.C.
+ Loretta King, Lord of the Sabaoth Lutheran Church, St. Croix
+ Anthony McAllister, Reformation Lutheran Church, Philadelphia
+ Tamara Maldonado Antonio, Iglesia Luterana Santisima Trinidad,
Puerto Rico
+ David Rodriguez-Nelson, Trinity Lutheran Church, Battle Creek,
Mich.
+ Rania Assafin, Salam Arabic Church, Brooklyn, N.Y.
+ Tony Husary, Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, South San Francisco,
Calif.
+ Roberta Costley, Alaska Native Lutheran Church, Anchorage, Ala.
+ Toby Rhoads, Eben Ezer Lutheran Church, Oaks, Okla.
---
Information about MYLE is at
http://www.ELCA.org/gathering/myle/
on the ELCA Web site.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog
